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Private company

Benesse

Logo: ベネッセコーポレーション, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons4

Japanese education and publishing corporation

Benesse Corporation (ベネッセコーポレーション, Benesse Kōporēshon) is a Japanese company which focuses on correspondence education and publishing. Based in Okayama, it is the parent company of Berlitz Language Schools, which in turn is the parent company of ELS Language Centers. Benesse is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (listing code 9783).2 It is part of Benesse Holdings.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1955Founded1
  • Industryeducational system1
  • HeadquartersOkayama1
  • Websitewww.benesse.co.jp
  • Legal formkabushiki gaisha1
  • LEI549300XOPEJA8L2IV9343
  • StatusActive3
  • LEI statusIssued and current3
  • Registered address南方三丁目7番17号, 700-0807 岡山県 岡山市北区, Japan3
  • Registered withLegal Affairs Bureau, 2600-01-0060153

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Benesse Holdings Headquarters
Photo: Phronimoi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons6

Benesse Corporation (ベネッセコーポレーション, Benesse Kōporēshon) is a Japanese company which focuses on correspondence education and publishing. Based in Okayama, it is the parent company of Berlitz Language Schools, which in turn is the parent company of ELS Language Centers. Benesse is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (listing code 9783).2

Corporate structure

Benesse is part of a group headed by Benesse Holdings. 2 entities, 1 country on record. Switch between the flow chart and the network, and select any entity to see its details.

Built from parent and subsidiary links from GLEIF, the Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (CC0); subsidiaries, stakes and holdings from Wikidata (CC0); major holders from Schedules 13D and 13G. Each entity in the chart links to its source.

The story

History

The company was founded in 1955 as Fukutake Publishing Co., Ltd. (株式会社福武書店, Kabushiki-gaisha Fukutake Shoten) by Tetsuhiko Fukutake, a publisher of educational materials. In 1986, Soichiro Fukutake succeeded his father as president on the latter's death. His son Hideaki Fukutake is a company director.

In 1994, the company completed the construction of the Fukutake Shoten Tokyo Building (now Benesse Corporation Tokyo Building) in Tama, Tokyo. In April 1995, the company was renamed Benesse Corporation.

A major breakthrough in the company's history was the acquisition of a majority stake in Berlitz Language Schools, which had gone public in 1989. In 2001, Benesse completed the take-over by acquiring 100% ownership of Berlitz and making it a private company once again.

In 2023, Swedish private equity firm EQT AB together with Benesse's founding family announced their intention to buy the company and take it private in a deal valued at US$1.78 billion (¥270 billion). On March 3, 2024, it was announced that EFU Investments Ltd. and a fund managed by BPEA EQT completed the purchase of a 70.1% stake in Benesse.

Benesse Foundation

The Benesse House is a 10-room hotel located inside a contemporary art museum, the Benesse Art Site, on the island of Naoshima in the Seto Inland Sea. Built in 1992, it was designed in partnership with architect Tadao Ando. It was built by the Benesse Foundation which is funded by the Benesse Corporation.

From Wikipedia’s article on Benesse, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.5

Subsidiaries and ownership

Parent company

From Wikidata.1

Timeline

  1. 1955Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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